Written Answers Tuesday 11 May 2010

Scottish Executive

Alcohol

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates it has spoken with (a) retailers and (b) COSLA regarding the (i) proposed powers to enable local licensing boards to raise the minimum age limit for off-trade sales to 21 and (ii) possibility of introducing community alcohol partnership schemes similar to that trialled at St Neots in Cambridgeshire and what these discussions included.

Nicola Sturgeon: Scottish Government ministers and officials have had a number of meetings with individual retailers and representative bodies on all aspects of the Alcohol Framework both during the consultation phase and since the Alcohol Bill has been published. In particular, the Scottish Government has held quarterly meetings with the Scottish Government Alcohol Industry Partnership (SGAIP) of which the Scottish Retail Consortium and the Scottish Grocers Federation are members.

  These meetings have provided an opportunity to discuss the Alcohol Framework and Bill, including the proposal to require licensing boards to consider raising the age of off-sales purchases to 21. In relation to community based projects, the SGAIP is a partner in the Fife Alcohol Pilot Partnership (FAPP) which is piloting a multi-component approach to community interventions and progress reports on FAPP are a standing item on the SGAIP agenda. As part of the scoping phase of the FAPP, SGAIP Members, including the Scottish Retail Consortium, visited the pilot project in St Neots on 20 November 2008 and reported back to the SGAIP on their findings on 28 November 2008.

  Scottish Government ministers and officials have also had a number of meetings with COSLA representatives during the development of the Alcohol Framework and Bill, including the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Minister for Public Health attending the COSLA leaders and chief executives meeting on 30 January 2009. COSLA have welcomed the flexibility which the provisions on raising the age of off-sales purchases to 21, contained in the bill, provide to local licensing boards.

Charities

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the proposed charitable legal vehicle, the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation, will be available to third sector organisations.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government recently consulted on policy proposals developed by the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) Working Group for the implementation of the SCIO. In light of the responses received and views expressed at consultation events, we will develop draft SCIO regulations, built on the policy foundations of the SCIO Working Group’s preferred model. These will be tested in the public arena during a shorter, targeted consultation exercise later in the year, before the provisions are finalised for laying in Parliament.

  Working closely with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) we are currently considering options for a phased implementation of the SCIO, to allow OSCR time to develop the systems necessary to discharge its new regulatory responsibilities. This may mean that the SCIO becomes available for use by certain types of charity, such as unincorporated associations, prior to others, such as existing charitable companies, where the conversion process will be different.

  Under current plans, we do not anticipate that the SCIO will be introduced before the end of 2010.

Charities

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations and whether the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation was discussed.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a strategic partner of the Scottish Government’s Third Sector Division, working with government across a number of policy areas. SCVO meets regularly with officials from the Scottish Government and has also met with ministers, often as part of a wider group of third sector partners.

  SCVO was represented on the short-life Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (SCIOs) Working Group, which was set up to advise ministers on designing a regime for SCIOs that is cost-effective, as straightforward as possible and tailored to the needs of charities in Scotland. The final meeting of the SCIOs Working Group was held on 16 March 2010, at which SCVO was represented.

  We look forward to continuing to work closely with SCVO and other third sector partners on the development of regulations necessary to implement the SCIO provisions under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005.

Charities

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued on the proposed use of the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation for charitable organisations.

Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government recently consulted on policy proposals developed by the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisations (SCIOs) Working Group for the implementation of the SCIO.

  In light of the responses received and views expressed at consultation events, we will develop draft SCIO regulations, built on the policy foundations of the SCIOs Working Group’s preferred model. These will be tested in the public arena during a shorter, targeted consultation exercise later in the year, before the provisions are finalised for laying in Parliament.

  We will work closely with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) on the development of guidance on the SCIO. Until then, background information on the SCIO and consultation material is available on the Scottish Government website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/15300/charities/SCIOs.

Diabetes

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated number was of people aged over 12 with diabetes in NHS Tayside eligible for diabetic retinopathy screening in the last year for which information is available.

Shona Robison: During the period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 there were 15,590 people aged over 12 with diabetes in NHS Tayside who were eligible for diabetic retinopathy screening. This figure excludes those people who were suspended by their GP from the diabetic retinopathy screening programme for clinical reasons, and people under the care of an ophthalmologist.

Diabetes

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 12 and over with diabetes in NHS Tayside who were eligible for diabetic retinopathy screening were (a) offered an appointment for screening and (b) screened in the last year for which information is available.

Shona Robison: The diabetic retinopathy screening programme in NHS Tayside has robust processes in place to ensure that all people who are eligible for diabetic retinopathy screening are offered regular appointments.

  Invitations to attend for diabetic retinopathy screening were sent out to 17,355 people during the period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 in NHS Tayside. The number of invitations issued is higher than the number of people eligible for screening, due to people who did not attend appointments being invited again and to the fact that some people with diabetes require to be screened more than once a year.

  Twelve thousand, eight hundred and ninety-four people aged 12 and over with diabetes in NHS Tayside who were eligible for diabetic retinopathy screening were screened during the period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010. This represents 83% of those eligible. The NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS) standard is that 80% of people who are eligible are screened within each twelve month period.

Diabetes

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people aged 12 and over with diabetes in NHS Tayside were referred to ophthalmology as a result of diabetic retinopathy screening in the last year for which information is available.

Shona Robison: During the period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010, 494 people aged 12 and over with diabetes in NHS Tayside were referred to ophthalmology as a result of diabetic retinopathy screening.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of violence have been reported in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the last five years.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of incidents of violence in schools in the last five years was targeted at (a) another pupil, (b) a teacher and (c) another member of staff.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not collect information on incidents of violence in schools.

Education

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of verbal abuse have been reported in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the last five years.

Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of incidents of verbal abuse in schools in the last five years was targeted at (a) another pupil, (b) a teacher and (c) another member of staff.

Keith Brown: The Scottish Government does not collect information on incidents of verbal abuse in schools.

Health

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to improve the care of patients with osteosarcoma.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to ensure equal access to healthcare provision for individuals with osteosarcoma.

Nicola Sturgeon: A national Musculoskeletal Surgical Sarcoma Service was established in 2001 and a Scottish Bone and Soft Tissue managed clinical network (MCN) was established in 2004. Both the national service and the MCN help to link groups of health professionals and organisations together to promote working in a co-ordinated manner with the aim of delivering high-quality, clinically effective and equitable care to patients irrespective of their geographic location.

  A national multidisciplinary team (MDT) way of working has also been established. The national MDT meet weekly to discuss and manage the care and treatment of all patients in Scotland with a bone or soft tissue sarcoma.

Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it appraises and commissions treatment for rare diseases, including osteosarcoma.

Nicola Sturgeon: National Services Division (NSD), a division of NHS National Services Scotland (NSS), is responsible for commissioning and performance managing specialist clinical services and national managed clinical networks on behalf of NHS Scotland. The specialist services commissioned by NSD are crucial to the diagnosis and treatment of rare conditions, including osteosarcoma.

Health

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what means NHS boards have at their disposal to ensure that instructions given by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland are implemented by GP surgeries, which are independent contractors.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards have a range of powers under the National Health Service (General Medical Services Contracts)(Scotland) Regulations 2004 and the National Health Service (Primary Medical Services Section 17C Agreements)(Scotland) Regulations 2004 in relation to variation and termination of GP contracts and agreements. These regulations require contractors to have an effective system of clinical governance, meaning a framework through which the contractor endeavours continuously to improve the quality of its service and safeguard high standards of care by creating an environment in which clinical excellence can flourish.

  In addition, anyone providing primary medical services must be included in a list maintained by NHS boards under the National Health Service (Primary Medical Services Performers Lists)(Scotland) Regulations 2004. These regulations set out various conditions including a requirement that performers exercise a reasonable standard of professional and clinical judgement, behaviour, skill, knowledge and care towards patients who receive primary medical services from them, and in the prescribing or dispensing of any drugs, medicines or appliances to patients.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether all NHS boards offer the full screening programme to pregnant women as outlined in the letter from the Director of Public Health and Wellbeing, CEL 31 (2008), dated July 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS boards are offering a second trimester fetal anomaly scan as detailed in the CEL 31. It is anticipated that additional changes to the pregnancy screening programme set out in CEL 31 will be achieved in all NHS boards ahead of the 31 March 2011 deadline.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments of the Cabinet Secretary for Justice in the chamber on 25 March 2010 ( Official Report c. 25109) that "there are significant problems [with knife crime] in some areas of Edinburgh", how many offences of handling an offensive weapon were recorded in each police beat in the Lothian and Borders police force area in the last year.

Fergus Ewing: Offences of handling an offensive weapon 1 recorded by Lothian and Borders Police 2 2008-09:

  

Local Authority
Possession of an Offensive Weapon
Restriction of Offensive Weapon
Having in a Public Place an Article with a Blade or Point
Total


East Lothian
65
0
13
78


Edinburgh City
428
1
270
699


Midlothian
65
0
29
94


West Lothian
120
0
81
201


Scottish Borders
78
0
43
121


Lothian and Borders
756
1
436
1,193



  Notes:

  1. The three categories of crime listed include knives, but could refer to other weapons.

  2. The information held centrally cannot be broken down further than local authority area.

  Furthermore, I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32120 on 15 March 2010 which gives the number crimes of handling an offensive weapon recorded by the eight police forces in Scotland, in each of the last five years. This shows that since 2006-07 the number of such crimes recorded has fallen by 11% across Scotland, and by 15.5% in the Lothian and Borders police force area.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28445 by Fergus Ewing on 5 November 2009, how many people convicted of handling an offensive weapon in 2008-09 were aged (a) under 16, (b) 16 to 21, (c) 22 to 30 and (d) over 30 at the time of the offence.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Convicted of Handling an Offensive Weapon1 by age, 2008-09

  

Age2,3
2008-09


Under 16
3


16-20 
1,168


21-30 
1,296


Over 30 
1,062


Total
3,529



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Age at date of sentence.

  3. The age groups given here are broken down as tables 6(a) and 6(b) of the Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts, 2008-09 statistical bulletin.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted of handling an offensive weapon in each of the last 10 years were (a) male and (b) female.

Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.

  Persons Convicted of Handling an Offensive Weapon1, 1999-2000 to 2008-09

  

 
Female
Male
All


1999-2000
 96 
 2,022 
 2,118 


2000-01
 117 
 2,223 
 2,340 


2001-02
 121 
 2,512 
 2,633 


2002-03
 128 
 2,643 
 2,771 


2003-04
 138 
 2,737 
 2,875 


2004-05
 179 
 3,268 
 3,447 


2005-06
 201 
 3,299 
 3,500 


2006-07
 191 
 3,359 
 3,550 


2007-08
 207 
 3,215 
 3,422 


2008-09
 243 
 3,286 
 3,529 



  Note: 1. Where main offence. Handling an offensive weapon covers the crime categories: possession of an offensive weapon, restriction of an offensive weapon and having in a public place an article with a blade or point.

Justice

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted of handling an offensive weapon in each of the last 10 years were on bail at the time of offence.

Fergus Ewing: Handling an offensive weapon covers the crime categories possession of an offensive weapon, restriction of an offensive weapon and having in a public place an article with a blade or point.

  Persons Convicted for Handling an Offensive Weapon1 where a Bail Aggravator2,3 has been Recorded Against the Offence in 2004-05 to 2008-09

  

2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09


647
650
711
696
683



  Notes:

  1. Where main offence.

  2. Indicating that the offence was committed while the offender was on bail.

  3. The recording of aggravators has improved over time therefore caution is needed when comparing changes over time. 2004-05 is the first year where it has been considered that the use and recording of bail aggravator codes from the Scottish Government Court Proceedings Database has been of sufficient coverage to be used.

Maritime Issues

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the findings of the appraisal of the clipper ship, HMS Carrick or City of Adelaide carried out by DTZ, to be published.

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what timetable it has in place for its evaluation of the future of the clipper ship, HMS Carrick or City of Adelaide.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Maritime Museum has made it clear that it needs a solution to the problem of removing the City of Adelaide from its current location within this calendar year. That is the key timeframe within which we are working. The consultants appointed by Historic Scotland to investigate all the available options are working to the agreed deadline of 31 May 2010 for delivery of their report to Historic Scotland. I therefore hope to announce the outcome of this work in the summer.

Special Advisers

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what special advisers have resigned to participate in the UK general election.

John Swinney: Stephen Noon and Stuart Nicolson have resigned to participate in the UK General Election.

Vaccinations

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage MMR1 immunisation rate has been in NHS Tayside for children up to (a) two and (b) five years of age in each year since 1998.

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage MMR2 immunisation rate has been in NHS Tayside for children up to five years of age in each year since 1998.

Shona Robison: MMR vaccination uptake rates by NHS board are published on the Information Service Division (ISD) Scotland website under Child Health at:

  http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/1987.html.

  Uptake statistics by five years of age are only available from 2006 onwards. In Scotland uptake rates have historically been reported by one, two and six years of age. In 2006, Scottish uptake rates of MMR vaccination by five years of age began to be reported, in line with other parts of the UK. Table 8 in the workbook in the above website shows the trend in uptake by six years with data going back to 1996.

Wheelchairs

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the territorial NHS boards have established a wheelchair user and carer group, as specified under the Wheelchair and Seating Service Modernisation: Action Plan .

Shona Robison: The Wheelchair and Seating Services modernisation action plan states that "each NHS Board must establish a wheelchair user and carer group or network as part of their Patient Focus and Public Involvement (PFPI) structures and processes".

  User and carer groups or networks have been established by the following NHS boards. Lothian, Fife, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Dumfries and Galloway, Forth Valley, Lanarkshire, Tayside, Highland, Western Isles and Ayrshire and Arran.

  Arrangements for the establishment of user and carer groups or networks are currently being progressed by the following boards; Borders, Grampian, Orkney, Shetland.

Wheelchairs

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive who is responsible for taking forward the wheelchair user and carer group in each territorial NHS board.

Shona Robison: All NHS boards have a designated Patient Focus and Public Involvement (PFPI) lead, who has been charged with taking forward the setting up of wheelchair user and carer groups or networks as stipulated in the action plan.

Wheelchairs

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which territorial NHS boards do not plan to establish a wheelchair user and carer group but rather to rely on the networks being established by the wheelchair service.

Shona Robison: All NHS boards are creating and supporting their own user and carer group or network, as stipulated in the action plan.

Wildlife

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of deer management groups have produced a deer management plan up to 2010.

Roseanna Cunningham: There is no formal obligation for Deer Management Groups to report on their activities. However, in 2005 DCS reviewed the extent of collaborative deer management in all Deer Management Groups. This showed that just over half of Deer Management Groups either had or were developing a deer management plan. The remainder did not intend to develop plans. Since then, the work of the Deer Commission for Scotland with Deer Management Groups suggests that there has been a slight increase in management plans, although a full review has not been carried out since 2005.

Wildlife

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of deer management groups are considered by the Deer Commission for Scotland to be carrying out effective implementation of their deer management plans, including meeting agreed cull targets.

Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question to S3W-33450 on 11 May 2010. The Deer Commission for Scotland review of collaborative deer management in 2005 found that just over 10% of deer management groups had a formalised process for setting and monitoring cull targets, with the remainder setting cull targets on an informal basis or independently on an individual basis. Since then, the work of the Deer Commission for Scotland with Deer Management Groups does not suggest that this percentage has changed significantly, although a full review has not been carried out since 2005.

Wildlife

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects that all deer management groups will have deer management plans in place.

Roseanna Cunningham: The Deer Commission for Scotland encourages all Deer Management Groups to develop a Deer Management Plan. However, participation in Deer Management Groups is voluntary and it is a matter for the members of the group to determine how to conduct their activities.

Wildlife

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deer management groups have delivered designated features in their areas into favourable condition, without the need for statutory intervention under section 7 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.

Roseanna Cunningham: 90% of features which could be affected by deer are in favourable condition, or are recovering, with the necessary management measures in place, so that the land will, given time, reach favourable condition. For the remainder, relevant agencies, such as Deer Commission for Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commission Scotland, are working closely with Deer Management Groups, estates and owners so as to get the features into favourable condition. There are currently nine control agreements, made under section 7 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996, in place or under negotiation.

Wildlife

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many deer died as a result of the 2009-10 winter and how this compares with other European countries with red deer.

Roseanna Cunningham: It is not possible to say how many deer died as a result of the winter weather, although the Deer Commission for Scotland continues to monitor the situation and have requested further information from occupiers on winter mortality with this year’s cull returns in order to better understand the impact of the 2009-10 winter on deer populations.